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When did your baby sleep through the night?

My LO will be 3 months in a few weeks. I have 2 older sons that were both breastfed. My first son I woke up every 2-3 hrs for months afraid they weren't getting enough, and with my second he woke up himself every hour and half for a year! With my daughter I don't want to make a pattern of her getting up, but I can't get over the anxiety of her not eating or getting enough. She last night I finally made wake up at 6 hrs, cause I couldn't stand it anymore.... when did you let your lil one sleep through the night. If they want to sleep and are developing great should I wake her?

Re: When did your baby sleep through the night?

I actually just posted something similar in the sleep forum, but my DD is only 13 days old....I'm sure it's just a phase, and I'm going to ask the pediatrician about it tomorrow. My LO has more than enough wet diapers, and 3 dirty diapers a day (from birth 3 has been her max), and as of 9 days old, she had gained 2/3 of her birth weight back already....but the last 3 nights she has slept in 6 hour stretches. She wakes up wet, and usually poops within a few minutes of waking up. I feel guilty that I've let her sleep, but when she is awake she is alert & active and she cluster feeds at night for about 6 hours before she sleeps. Like tonight, she nursed (and actually drank, not just sucked) at 5:30, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:40, 9:30 and 10:15....and she has had a similar pattern the last few nights, and in between nursing she is pretty much awake the whole time.

Anyway...with my first I never had the option, he never slept longer than 4 hours until he was about 8 months old....so with this one, it's shocking. I'm thankful my well-check for her is tomorrow so i can talk to the ped about it.

But I would say at 3 months, definitely let her sleep. I remember reading something about 8-12 weeks being OK to STTN.

Proud mama to Matthew Rory, born naturally 10/29/10, and mama to Callie Elisabeth, born naturally 5/15/12.

Re: When did your baby sleep through the night?

As with almost every thing about breastfeeding, the answer about long sleep stretches is "it depends." A baby who is cueing and nursing very frequently & well at other times, pooping lots, and with good weight gain, is doing fine and can be allowed to sleep, even 6 hours, even very early on. On the other hand, a baby who is not doing all those things, or with a mom who feels her milk supply is low or borderline, it could be a problem if baby sleeps long stretches even at 3 months or so.

Also it depends how long we are talking when we say "sleep through the night" and also if there are external forces at work keeping baby asleep longer than would be occuring naturally. "Sleep through the night" is defined as a 5 hour stretch of sleep, and is typically not going to come until about 3 months of age (and often, not until past that age.) Also things like pacifier use, swaddling, and baby sleeping remotely from mom, (in another room) especially if done at night, could in some cases cause a young baby to sleep through normal hunger wakefulness and/or mom to sleep though cues.

Also I believe that a mom's body is part of the cue feeding signal system. A mom getting uncomfortably full at night could signal a too long sleep stretch. Especially in the early weeks when milk production is being established, because when a mom feels full that signals to her body to slow down milk production. Obviously this is not a concern all the time, for example, maybe not for a mom with oversupply. But just in general.

And babies do not need to be awoken to nurse.

BTW I had one of each-one baby who had to nurse quite frequently at night into toddlerhood to get enough, another who started sleeping 5-6 hour stretches the first week, not all nights but at least about half the nights. So it depends not only on mom but on baby which way this will go.

Re: When did your baby sleep through the night?

As long as your baby is developing, has the right amount of diapers and is gaining weight, let them sleep! Take their sleep as their current developmental state. Enjoy it! It will probably change when teething hits so enjoy it for what it is for now.

Re: When did your baby sleep through the night?

Thanks ladies.... and she will be 3 months in 2 weeks. I have problems with OALD and OS, so low supply is def not a problem right now! My daughter sleeps right beside me in a hammock at night, and no doesn't sleep with a pacifier, so I guess she is just content! My middle child nursed quite often in the night till he was a year and half, and yes I let him, because he refused solids till then! Last night she went through a 6 hr stretch, and woke up wanting to eat. She is eating plenty and having plenty of wet/ dirty diapers. I wake myself up every 2 hrs o check on her, but she sleeps through my alarms, so I guess she just needs her sleep. She doesn't nap well in the day, so it may be that, its just very weird for me to be getting these stretches through the night.... the only problem I have with her sleeping, is the engorgement I get from her long period of time at night.... I know it will work itself out, but I just got all my OS and OALD in check...lol. Thanks again!